THE SCENE: Kate Alexander and David Daniels hosted a night of drinks and entertainment to celebrate Acting Up Stage Company

The cozy gathering began with casual hors d’oeuvres catered by À La Carte Kitchens, followed by a concert in the downstairs ballroom. Vintage stage lights were scattered among contemporary furnishings and collectibles, giving the home an overall theatrical vibe. Prior to the performance, Marcus gave a brief history of the Acting Up Stage Company, emphasizing outreach programs like One Song Glory, which provides free musical theatre training for youth. Guests were presented with the theatre’s three-year plan for growth and given the opportunity to say,  “I was there at the beginning” (in other words, we need your support now).

The concert that followed did exactly what Marcus had promised: it left us tingling. Sara Farb’s jazzy rendition of Mitchell’s “Chelsea Morning” gave us chills that only intensified with Duncan’s soulful “Ain’t No Cure for Love” and Amanda LeBlanc’s heart-wrenching “A Case of You.” Dow, a Stratford favourite, closed the show with the title song “Both Sides Now,” which had the crowd on their feet in a standing ovation. As guests headed back upstairs for a final glass of wine, the band played “Big Yellow Taxi Cab,” which we took as a cue to leave.